


Thick, Thin, and Through the End

by Perpetual Motion (perpetfic)



Category: Green Lantern (Comic)
Genre: Gen, Yuletide, challenge:Yuletide 2008
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-12-25
Updated: 2008-12-25
Packaged: 2017-11-21 15:41:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 567
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/599424
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/perpetfic/pseuds/Perpetual%20Motion
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>During "One Year Later", Ollie and Hal have a chat. With punching.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Thick, Thin, and Through the End

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Karabair](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Karabair).



> Set during the Green Lantern, "One Year Later" arc. A gift to Karabair for her fine beta work. I hope you like this as much as you liked my story.

"This isn't good for you."

Hal looks out the window at the construction crew across the street. "Big talk from you."

Ollie rolls his eyes. "Yeah, sure, try to tell me that you really think it's okay to be having a fling every other night."

"It's not every other night-"

"How long have I known you?" Ollie asks with a pointed look. "You're Hal Jordan, the original tightass. You don't have one night stands, at least not more than once every six months. When you're on the road. With me. And a Watcher."

Hal shakes his head and looks into his coffee. "You don't get it. It's not about-"

"Or you could tell the pretty pilot you like so much that you-oh, I don't know-want to date her."

"I was a prisoner of war with her Ollie. I probably had a chance before, but now? We bled on each other."

"Should have taken your ring," Ollie mutters.

Hal takes a long drink of his coffee so he doesn't clock Ollie from across the table. "Yes, thanks, I've made a note of that."

"You're an idiot," Ollie says after a pause. "You're a damned idiot."

"Big words from you," Hal says testily. "You're the one who ran away from his son."

The pause turns into a full, icy stare down. Ollie stands slowly and smoothes his tie. "I'm going to walk away right now."

"You're good at th-" Hal goes pinwheeling when Ollie punches him and sends Hal and his chair flying backwards. He's up in another second, wiping blood from his lip and running straight at Ollie with his shoulder down to hit Ollie in the stomach.

Ollie jumps out of the way. "Nice try, but I'm not just going-oof!" He lands flat on his back when Hal kicks his feet out from under him. Ollie grabs Hal's ankle and yanks it forward, causing Hal to fly flat as well.

Hal wheezes and stares up at the sky. He can see the construction workers to his left. They've stopped working, and they're pointing and laughing at Hal and Ollie. "We're idiots," Hal says to Ollie.

"More you," Ollie responds.

"Maybe," Hal gets to his feet and holds out his hand for Ollie. "Come on, old man."

"I should punch you again just for that," but Ollie clasps Hal's hand and lets himself get levered off the ground. "Call me an old man again, and I will."

"Sure," Hal straightens his chair and drops some money on the table to cover the coffee and general tone of the two of them. "Come on, let's get out of here before the construction workers can start taking bets."

"I'd have won." 

"Sure."

They walk down the street a ways, shoulder-to-shoulder and watch the people around them. "I mean it, though," Ollie says as they stand and wait for the light to change. "This isn't you, Hal. I was always the one with a taste for debauchery. You were just a stand-up guy."

"Your reputation was only as bad as you made it," Hal responds. "And you only run away when you're really scared you can't make everything just right."

"That's kind."

Hal pats Ollie on the shoulder and leads him across the street. "If you were less of a man, you wouldn't be my friend."

Ollie reaches up and places his hand on top of Hal's. "Same to you, buddy." 


End file.
